Bringing Forgiveness Classes to Small Towns and Prisons

#NewWarrior Rob Corbin (San Diego, 1998) is on a mission to share what he knows about forgiveness. He works in small towns and prisons, in churches and community centers, with folks from all backgrounds.

He started his own work around forgiveness following his father’s suicide and the issues that arose in him. Following his father’s death, Rob decided to devote his mission to helping people get out of their own emotional cage when it comes to forgiving others. Rob had held onto anger, hate, bitterness, and resentment towards his father, an extreme disciplinarian, for 46 years.

About 8 years ago, Rob self-funded newspaper ads, flyers, and direct mail campaigns in small towns, to promote a program on forgiveness. Eventually, he also created a website. Since then, he has conducted community classes with audiences between 20 and 50 people, where he talks about his own journey and what it took for him to leave his own emotional cage. These classes have proven to be very powerful for those attending. Rob has a video on these seminars.

“After your program, I called my mom. She is 95 years old, and I told her I love her. She said I love you too. First time ever for both of us.” Gail W., Arizona

Three years ago Rob staffed New Warrior Training Adventure training for the first time in several years. After that he joined an I-Group and got more familiar with how MKP teaches us to work together and, among other things, hold each other accountable for our actions.

His work with his I-Group and the things he was learning led to him a stretch to bring his work to more people. He started to knock on the doors of different prisons in Arizona to see about bringing his program to prisoners. Much of Rob’s classes are an extension of what is learned from his work in MKP. They create a container, have check-in’s and they do accountability work, with a focus on forgiving both themselves and others.

Part of the forgiveness process resembles carpet work. The format they use is one where each man writes his own “truth letter” (if he were to forgive, what would he say) and that man is given the opportunity to own his truth in a circle, with the support of the other prisoners. After sharing his “truth” each man is honored with a handshake or hug. Some prisons allow Rob to place honor beads around the inmate’s necks, which has proven to be very powerful. Fortunately Rob is allowed to bring in boxes of Kleenex, and most of the time is no Kleenex left at the end of the program!!

“You have finally eased my pain and opened a door. I just needed to walk through. Even though I am still in prison, I feel free inside! You were the perfect “tour guide”. Such a profound experience! It’s a new day!” R.M., Inmate, Arizona Department of Corrections

Rob works with 8 different prisons in both Arizona and California where he conducts regular forgiveness classes.

He is also now talking with the ManKind Project USA about bringing his curriculum to more areas in the USA.